You are a Runner, NOT a Jogger!

I didn't get this feeling of being a runner until Saturday during my 5k. I was looking around at all the seasoned runners becoming nervous. I had the proper attire and looked like "a runner", but I felt like I was an intruder and simply playing dress up. My close friend who runs 3-5 miles every other day was getting pumped up for the race ahead of us and gave me some great advice, "it doesn't matter how quick you make it across the finish line, but that you simply finished. Roughly 70% of this nation would never have the determination to do what you are doing today. So turn up your jams and lets kill this!" It made me feel great. I took my place in the middle of the group while he took a place up front, and prepared my music and runkeeper app. I looked all around me and realized, finally I may have became apart of something great. The clock on the time starts and the bell rings. We all take off at our own paces and I prepare for my biggest accomplishment yet. I hit my first mile and I am under 3 minutes for my goal. I am ahead of where I want to be. I kept up my pace for the second mile and allowed myself a slow comfortable jog for the last bit. As I was making my way to the finish line becoming 92nd out of 300 runners, I had that feeling of I am finally a runner and apart of this close knit community. A community that not only runs for themselves and to stay fit, but a community that runs for others. This race was dedicated to the American Cancer Society. I want to thank them for not only looking for a cure for Cancer, but allowing me to be apart of this community and giving me the chance to show that I too, am an accomplished runner.